


A Good Man

by GrumpyJenn



Category: Doctor Who (2005), Torchwood
Genre: 1000 words, Explicit Language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-31
Updated: 2014-08-31
Packaged: 2018-02-15 12:59:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2229930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrumpyJenn/pseuds/GrumpyJenn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Good men are not always perfect men. Sometimes they're not even nice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Good Man

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SnowyAshes](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SnowyAshes/gifts).



_‘Cause it made me happy…_

_Evan, Countrycide_

 

Jack shuddered at the look on Gwen’s face when the sick fuck whispered in her ear, and then he hustled the bastard out of there to turn him over to the cops. Dragging Gwen along behind him, he more-or-less commandeered an ambulance of the three still on the scene, gently deposited her into it, and climbed into the passenger seat.

He was in no fucking mood to deal with any bullshit, so it was just as well the driver took one look at him and wordlessly started the ambulance. Driver was brave though, because he had the guts to ask if Jack wanted to be taken straight to hospital or if he needed to stop at the police station.

“Hospital,” was all Jack said, and he felt more than saw the man nod as they started out.

 _They could have all died,_ Jack thought, hating himself, and even knowing they’d be all right wasn’t enough. Goddamnit, they were his team, the closest thing he had to family, and they had all almost died because he was stupid enough to insist they could take care of themselves. Of _course_ they couldn’t, not with that bunch of depraved... he shuddered again.

When they arrived at the hospital, Jack shouldered his way past all the idiots and demanded the whereabouts of his team from the harried nurse at the counter. Making his way to the room where they had Ianto, he heard himself barking at Owen to go down to A&E and see to Gwen, and then he sat down heavily in a chair at Ianto’s bedside.

Tosh put a tentative hand on his shoulder and Jack looked up. He knew he looked like shit, but of all his team, Toshiko was the one he felt the most comfortable with, like she was a little sister; she wouldn’t judge. “You okay?” he asked her, and she smiled one of those tremulous Tosh smiles that meant she wasn’t, but she would be.

“Fine,” she said. “Scrapes and bruises, already treated and released.” She looked at Ianto. “The doctors say he’ll be fine, and Owen agreed. Bruises, cuts, b-blood loss. Shock, of course, and...” She shuddered all over and Jack pulled her into a hug.

“Go find the others,” he suggested, releasing her, and she nodded and left the room.

Jack turned back to the bed, noting that Ianto’s skin was even paler than usual. Sighing, Jack rested his chin on his fisted hands on the bed. Ianto was unconscious, or drugged-asleep, and the others were out of the room.

They were all safe.

So Jack let out a deep breath and closed his eyes, allowing himself to relax just a bit.

 _I’m so sorry, Ianto,_ he thought, _for what I did with... with Lisa. I wish I could tell you how much. It had to be done, but I didn’t... I didn’t have to try to force you to do it. I’m so sorry..._

Ianto stirred, and Jack realised he’d said at least some of that aloud. He rubbed his face and looked up.

“Jack?” Ianto looked confused, but he was awake. _And oh god,_ Jack thought, _he hasn’t called me Jack since..._ but Ianto was trying to say something.

“Stay... with me? Please?”

_Oh god..._

“As long as you need me.”

 

~~~~~~~~~

 

Ianto looked up when the bell rang. People didn’t usually come into the tourist office that fronted the Hub, unless they were well and truly lost.

The woman who came in was smiling at him as though she knew him, but surely he would have remembered if they’d met. For her hair, if nothing else; it was like a halo around her head, all dark blonde curls with red and gold in, and... Ianto shook his head as though to clear it.

“May I help you, miss?” As she approached, Ianto could see that she was older than he’d thought, perhaps in her forties.

“No,” she said, a wistful sort of half smile quirking her lips up at the corners. “But I can help you, Ianto Jones.”

“I’m sorry, have we met?”

“No,” she said again. “We have mutual friends. And I know what it’s like to love an immortal god. It’s not easy, but it is worth every moment. Don’t give up on him, Ianto. No matter what he says, what he does to drive you away, it’s _never_ because he doesn’t love you.”

“He doesn’t—“

But she interrupted him. “Of course he does. Don’t you see? He’s afraid, Ianto, afraid that he’ll hurt you, get you killed. He’ll outlive you, you know. And that hurts him, knowing that everyone he’s ever loved is... ephemeral. Take it from one who knows.”

“You...” And then he had it. “You’re er... not from around here, I take it? Did you fall through the Rift? From the sky? Have you got a ship around somewhere?” Ianto gulped slightly, and whispered, “Are you human?”

The smile grew mischievous and _my god_ , Ianto thought, _she’s bloody damn well gorgeous when she smiles._ “Mostly. But no, I’m not from around here, not exactly.”

“But you know a man like Jack Harkness. There are _two_ of them?”

She laughed at that. “Bless, the universe would likely explode from what I’ve heard of your Captain Jack. Speaking of, I’d better leave; if he spots me there could be a paradox of that universe-shattering sort.” She reached up and patted Ianto’s cheek. “Do take care of yourself, Ianto. Don’t leave him alone. Their sort should never be alone for long. It makes them dangerous.”

“Jack’s the most dangerous person I know,” Ianto said. “And he’s done...” he choked slightly, thinking of Lisa. “He’s done horrible things. But I think, under it all, he’s a good man.”

She smiled at him again, sadly this time, and stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. “They always are. Be well, Ianto, and remember that he does care.”

 _But_... “Who are you?”

“Can’t say. Spoilers.”


End file.
